Twelve Days of Diakkomas
by whokilledlaurapalmer
Summary: Diana and Akko get gay for the holidays. (Twelve holiday-related drabbles for the 12 Days of Diakkomas challenge.)
1. Decorating

Prompt can be found here: post/168474256660/the-12-days-of-diakko-mas

* * *

With Yule only a couple weeks away, Luna Nova Academy was becoming greener. Students collaborated on decor; wreaths of pine and holly hung on the doors to their rooms, mistletoe was snuck conveniently in the the corners of the thresholds for some, stars made of white and silver ribbons and golden candles lined every corridor and hallway in sight, and each table in the cafeteria had been donned its own yule log, complete with three candles inside.

It was all new to Akko, holidays in Japan were way different. Though, it seemed she was the only one a bit shocked by the differences. It was still familiar to Christmas – but not quite!

Amanda clapped her playfully on the back.

"First time celebrating Yule, huh?" Amanda said, her voice a bit more knowing than she usually spoke. Amanda seemed to empathize the most with Akko. Coming from America, she knew holidays at Luna Nova were celebrated in an older fashion.

Akko nodded, looking over at the other students, who were giggling to one another as they strung up greenery and whispered about where to hide the mistletoe.

"Don't stress yourself over it," Amanda said to her. They both noticed the group of girls hush up a bit as Diana walked by, returning to their work. Akko gulped, turning to Amanda (in her peripheral, she swore she could see her wink).

Diana approached the two of them and sighed quietly. Her hair was a tad mussed and she rubbed her fingers to her temples.

"See what I mean?" Amanda said, nudging Akko's side mischievously. Had this girl no shame? "Oi, Cavendish, do you need a back rub?"

"Very funny, Amanda," Diana said and folded her arms. Her eyes shifted to Akko and softened. "Akko, I was wondering if you would like to help me hang up decorations. I've spent most of the day overseeing others, I haven't had time to do any decorating myself."

"M-me?" Akko's voice was dry. She coughed, much to Amanda's amusement. "I don't know anything about Yule. I wouldn't be much help…"

"You're new to it, that's why I asked," Diana said, a slight smile graced her lips and Akko felt herself shiver at such a cute sight. "I could explain a few things to you as we decorate."

Amanda nudged Akko again, this time with more force. Akko glared at her, getting the hint, and turned to Diana with a quick nod.

"Y-yeah, yeah!" Akko repeated herself, gathering her energy back. "We can fill your room with pine cones! It'll be like a ball pit!"

"We will do no such thing!" Diana began to walk away and Akko hurried behind her.

"Aww, but Diana!" Akko whined as they moved off.

Amanda watched them disappear down the hall, side by side. A satisfied smile extended across her face.


	2. Snow

The school grounds were covered in a plush, white blanket of sparkling snow.

Akko, after wiping away the fog from the window, pressed her face against the glass and emitted a squeal of pure excitement, much to Lotte's surprise and Sucy's disdain.

"Finally!" Akko exclaimed, voice brimming with unadulterated elation. "It's finally snowing!"

"It was snowing yesterday," Sucy responded without looking up from her daily potion-making. "And the day before that, and the day bef-"

"Yeah, but today's different!" Akko said, turning to Sucy with cheeks puffed in annoyance. "Today is the day that I- uh- heh…" Her voice dropped significantly.

"I'm sorry, Akko, I didn't catch that," Lotte said.

Akko's eyes darted around nervously from one roommate to the other, steepling her fingers together as another anxious giggle escaped her forced, full-toothed smile. Sucy raised an eyebrow to Lotte, who returned the gesture with a curious head tilt.

"I uh… wanted to ask Diana if she…" Akko gulped. "If she wanted to play in the snow today."

Before Lotte or Sucy could even respond, Akko threw herself onto her bed and whined dramatically into her pillow, her legs kicking up at the air.

"Ahh, it's no use!" Akko's voice was muffled by the pillow. "Diana will think that's so childish!"

"You never know until you ask!" Lotte said with a smile, sitting down on Akko's bed and patting her shoulder in an attempt to reassure her.

"I guess you're right," Akko sat up. "Yeah! I can do this! Totally!"

"Your confidence came back pretty quick. Impressive," Sucy said, slightly amused.

Akko, regaining her energy, leaped up from her bed with her usual vigor and puffed out her chest with a bright smile. Lotte giggled at the display.

"Right then! Wish me luck!" Akko said, zooming out of the room before either of her friends could actually wish her luck. Lotte shook her head with a smile and Sucy shrugged.

* * *

Just as Akko was about to knock on the Blue Team's door, it swung open, startling her in the process. Hannah and Barbara stood side by side, dressed in matching snow gear: boots, jackets, scarfs, and even earmuffs.

"Ah, are you guys going out in the snow too?" Akko asked.

They both smiled to one another and nodded.

"We're going to build a snow fort!" Hannah said, putting her hands on her hips proudly.

"It'll be so cool and beautiful, that everyone at Luna Nova will be totally jealous!" Barbara said, peering over at Hannah and giggling.

"That's awesome!" Akko said. "Is Diana going out in the snow too?"

Before either of them could reply, Diana approached them from behind, summoned by the mention of her name.

"Unfortunately, I had planned on catching up on some studying today," Diana said, folding her arms.

"Oh…" Akko said, slightly dejected. Hannah and Barbara looked at each other and took this exchange as their cue to hurry out, which they did. Akko huffed. "Not even for a little bit?"

"I'm not a fan of the cold."

Akko deflated even further. Noticing this, Diana sighed. She didn't like seeing Akko so sad, and it only took one look at Akko's puppy-dog pout to make Diana falter.

"Though… I suppose I could use a quick break," She said, giving in.

"Really?" Akko's face lit up and Diana couldn't help but smile a bit. "So does that mean…"

Diana nodded. "But first, I must insist you put on something warmer than," she gestured to Akko who, in her excited hurry, forgot she was still in a tee shirt, "..that."

Akko looked down and realized what Diana had meant. She laughed nervously. Diana walked away from the door for a moment and returned with a jacket, scarf, and hat for Akko to put on. Akko quickly put on the jacket and before she could do anything else, Diana leaned over and zipped it up for her.

"H-hey," Akko said, startled, feeling her heart jump a bit and her cheeks warm up. "I'm not a kid, y'know!" She added jokingly.

Diana merely smiled in response and pulled the beanie lightly over Akko's head, her fingers accidentally brushed against her ears as she fixed the edges. Akko's face doubled in warmth. Diana hurriedly moved her hands away.

"It's my responsibility to make sure my-" Diana stopped herself for a moment and cleared her throat. "My- my _fellow students_ don't get sick from the cold."

Akko raised an eyebrow at Diana and grinned. Diana looked away indignantly, a new hue of pink in her face. She wasn't fooling anyone!

"A-anyway," Diana looped the scarf around Akko's neck a couple of times, making an effort to be more delicate with the contact this time. This didn't stop Akko from stiffening in her spot, trying desperately not to look at the pretty girl leaning in front of her and her deep, blue gaze, as well as trying not to overly enjoy the fact that Diana's scarf smelled like that fancy vanilla perfume she always wore. "Let me get my own coat on and we'll get going."

* * *

The two of them trudged out through the snow, making deep footprints as every step broke through the soft, flat surface. Akko flailed her arms out to keep her balance while Diana moved gracefully, her face hidden behind her scarf and her hands tucked into her coat pockets. They passed by Hannah and Barbara who had given up on their fort halfway through and had begun throwing snowballs at one another instead.

Akko waved at them both, only to be greeted with a snowball to the face.

Mumbling to herself and wiping the snow from her face, she heard a soft giggle behind her. Twisting around, she saw Diana bring a hand to cover her mouth and close her eyes, her shoulders shaking slightly. Akko could almost feel time stop; Diana's laugh was so gentle and soft, and she paused and watched as the snow caught in Diana's golden hair, and how her nose reddened slightly in the cold, peeking out above her hand. Akko must've been staring too long because she felt the impact of another snowball hit the side of her head and she fell over into the plush, yet freezing, snow.

"Akko!" Diana hurried over, reaching a hand down to help Akko up. She looked up at Diana, still in a daze from both the fall and how incredible Diana looked, leaning over her; the cool air fogging around her mouth as she repeated her name, the blush in her cheeks as a reaction to the cold, her eyes – so sharp, so intelligent, so-

Akko shook her head when she realized she had been staring at Diana again for a few moments too long. She took Diana's hand (which felt cool and pleasantly smooth) and allowed herself to be pulled up from the snow. Diana began to brush the loose snow off of Akko's jacket, teeth digging into her lip to hold back her urge to giggle again.

Akko, who hadn't spoken for the last few minutes, couldn't help but watch Diana as she continued with wiping the snow off her clothes and fixing her scarf again.

"Diana," The words escaped Akko faster than she realized and Diana looked up at her, still biting her lip, _her lip…_

"Yes?" Diana tilted her head and Akko's brain felt more frozen than the rest of her did. Her face was only a few inches from her own.

It was then, that another snow ball flew over the both of them, causing Diana to swivel her head away as she yelled at Hannah and Barbara.

Akko stayed looking ahead, her eyes lost in the snow catching in Diana's hair.

" _Wow_ ," she whispered, her breath fogging in the air.


	3. Skiing

Diana was quite an adept skier.

She had picked up the skill when she was young, as her family used to frequent ski resorts during the holidays. While it had not been a hobby she honed all her time and practice into cultivating (magic was always the priority), she still had a better handle on the sport than most of her peers did.

There was an oddly soothing feeling to the sport, similar to flying a broom. Gaining speed, the biting air rushed past Diana's face and whipped through her long, blonde hair. Skis sliced into the snow like it was nothing as she glided down the hill flawlessly, upturned snow lingering in the air like powdered mist behind her.

Akko watched from the bottom of the hill, her feet still strapped into her snowboard. She was learning, albeit slowly, but still learning nonetheless! It wasn't something she minded too much though, since a good portion of the enjoyment she got from their trip was to see her amazingly gorgeous girlfriend absolutely destroy the slopes. Something she obviously did with relative ease.

Nearing the bottom, Diana carved into the snow as she turned her skis sideways, the cold powder flying everywhere.

"Whoa, Diana!" Akko exclaimed, excitedly unfastening her boots from her snowboard, she had removed her gloves and her hands were still a bit raw from falling over multiple times, but she pushed through the pain. Freeing herself from the board, she scooped it up clumsily and ran over (even more clumsily) to hug her girlfriend.

"That was so cool! You looked super-human!" Akko said between her giggles as she dropped her board and threw her arms around Diana's shoulders, noses brushing together.

Diana pulled off her snow-glazed goggles, revealing her amused eyes, complimented by the sharpness of her brow. Akko couldn't help but kiss her right then. Diana pulled her closer, allowing the numbness in her face to be melted away by her girlfriend's warm kisses.

"I used to ski a lot when I was younger," Diana finally managed to say. "I'm surprised how much knowledge I-" Diana's tangent cut off when she felt Akko's calloused hand against her face. She took the hand in her own and looked it over, pursing her lips, her eyes going into full focus.

"Ah- Diana- it's nothing!" Akko immediately played it off, despite how sore they felt to the touch. "I just fell a couple of times!"

Diana gave her a sympathetic smile before planting a gentle kiss on each hand, causing Akko's cheeks to flare bright red.

"I think we've had enough of the slopes for today, don't you think?" Diana tilted her head.

Akko could only manage to nod.

Wrapping an arm around Akko, the two of them trudged over toward the lodge, carrying their equipment. There was a toasty fireplace and two mugs of tea calling their names.


	4. Mistletoe

"Akko," Diana tilted her head. Her friend was looking especially devious this evening. "Is there something on your mind?"

Diana had agreed to hang out with the Red and Green Teams for another late-afternoon flying session. Akko was improving, as she managed to hover in the air and fly at a very slow pace (as insisted by Diana). Though there seemed to be something off with her and her friends this time.

The cold weather could've been part of it, or the anticipation of the upcoming holidays that left everyone excited in general. But Diana didn't buy that. She knew Akko fairly well at this point and it was relatively easy to read when something was chewing at her mind.

Akko and herself had grown closer in the recent months, spending more and more time together. Diana would've been a fool not to notice that; she wasn't oblivious to body language or the way other students whispered to one another when they passed them in the hall together. Although, closer was an understatement. She knew better than to delude herself with such vague terms.

Last night the two of them had been in her room, up late studying. Afterward, Akko complained about how cold the halls were. To which Diana provided an offering of tea and a blanket. One thing lead to another and the two of them ended up falling asleep in each others arms. For warmth purposes, of course. Diana was simply accommodating her good friend's needs – nothing more, nothing less.

However, there was no tricking Diana this time; the atmosphere had changed. Perhaps Akko had told her friends about their sleepover, or they had jumped to conclusions without context. Either way, Diana was going to get to the bottom of it.

Akko fiddled with her hands, looking around at her friends. Amanda gave her a not-so-subtle wink, while Constanze and Jasminka lingered in the background, though not taking their eyes off of the two of them. Lotte and Sucy had mysteriously disappeared, conveniently when Akko had dismounted her broom and approached her.

"Eh? No, uh, maybe…" Akko shifted from one foot to another, her eyes were having trouble meeting her own. "Can I ask you something? In private?"

"Certainly," Diana nodded, following Akko as she walked toward the greenhouse.

Once inside, Akko ran toward the tree. Cautiously, Diana kept a few feet behind her.

"Sooo… what do you think?" Akko asked, her face a few pigments redder than Diana remembered; it took her a moment to register that she was, in fact, blushing.

"About what? Is there something wrong with the Jennifer Memorial Tree again?" Diana raised her eyebrows in concern and looked up at the branches.

It was then that she saw it, placed meticulously in the high branches above. A patch of wiry green, stippled with white berries. A mistletoe.

"Is that…" Diana's voice trailed off as she tilted her head down to Akko, who had suddenly moved a lot closer. Their eyes finally met.

Neither of them had to say anything. After all, Diana was good at picking up signals, despite her reserved nature. It was convenient for her, then, that Akko was better at taking risks. The throbbing in her chest picked up speed, filling her ears up on every beat, drowning out any other sound or thought that could distract her.

Akko leaned in, nervous smile and all, and pressed her lips to hers. Like a spark setting off a flame, like a nod of mutual understanding through their eyes, Diana kissed back, resting her arms over Akko's shoulders.

A moment passed that felt like a century, the kiss still lingering between them as they parted from one another. Silence. Akko ran a shaky hand through her hair, cutting the air with a nervous laugh.

Diana smiled, brushing her fingertips to her lips; she could still feel the static there.

"You never told me what you thought!" Akko said, returning the smile.

"Hm," Diana mused to herself, a playful flutter in her usually aloof gaze. "I won't tell you, I'll show you."

And with that, she pulled Akko into another kiss.


	5. Blankets

The blanket fort was a success.

Thankfully, the Blue Team's room had a large sofa, as well as plenty of chairs to drape multiple sheets and blankets over. Diana had, reluctantly, helped a little by making sure none of the blankets would slip. She had secretly just wanted to flick her wand and make a much nicer looking fort, but Akko insisted on no magic being used. So she obliged.

Hannah and Barbara giggled to one another as they finished setting up the last of the blankets inside, tossing one of the many pillows playfully between one another.

The finished project was a sturdy tent that could fit the four of them with room to spare. Hannah had managed to fit the tea set inside (despite Diana's protests) and Akko was given Lotte's permission to bring her crystal ball tonight (under the condition that she wasn't careless with it).

After Diana had given them the 'Okay' on the sturdiness of the fort, Akko wiggled inside to join Hannah and Barbara as they handed out cups of tea. Diana remained outside of the fort, examining the entrance cautiously.

"Diana, aren't you going to join us?" Barbara poked her head out from the curtain of sheets.

"Yeah, Diana, come in! It's nice and warm in here!" Hannah called out from inside.

Diana shifted on her feet and folded her arms, she hardly remembered the last time she had actively involved herself in something so childish.

"That's quite alright," Diana said. "I'm glad I could help, though."

"Aww," Barbara looked dejected. "We were gonna watch movies on the crystal ball!"

"Is she not coming in?" Akko's voice chimed in from inside and then lowered ominously. "Diana, you might want to rethink that decision."

"What are you talking about?"

"It seems we have taken a prisoner…"

Barbara's expression shifted into a sly one.

"I'm not participating in your little game," Diana huffed, tightening her folded arms.

"I don't think _Mr. Stuffykins_ sees it as a game."

"For the last time Akko, his name is not Mr. Stuffykins. It's Theodore B. Cavendish; I showed you his birth certificate-" Diana paused, actually processing what Akko said, and gasped. "How _dare_ you remove Theodore from his favorite spot!"

The girls inside the fort giggled, and Barbara retreated as Diana angrily shuffled inside. Once she spotted her favorite bear placed strategically behind a pillow, she grabbed him and pulled him close to her chest.

A bunch of giggles escaped Akko's throat and Diana shot her scolding look.

"Sorry! I just wanted somebody to keep Alcor company!" Akko joked, motioning to the stuffed bird plushy sitting next to her.

"Well, I suppose since I'm already in here, Theodore and I can stay," Diana admitted with another huff. "But only for a bit!"

"If you say so!" Akko smiled, nudging her shoulder playfully. A faint pink hue spread across Diana's cheeks.

"Alright! Let's watch a movie!" Hannah said, flipping through the crystal ball.

Diana looked over at Akko and smiled, setting Theodore next to Alcor.


	6. Party

Diana had been staring at her from across the room. Akko had to have been _really_ oblivious not to notice.

When she did, she almost choked on her punch, catching the light reflecting off of Diana's ocean blue irises. Akko slinked away into the crowd to avoid that intense gaze that sent a sudden prickle down her spine.

It seemed every student and professor at Luna Nova was in attendance to the annual Yule Celebration Party. Students laughed and chatted among one another about gifts they were planning on giving out, as well as ones they had hoped to receive. The cafeteria had been cleared out to make room for decorations, rows and rows of delicious drinks and finger foods, even some space was cleared for live musicians.

Unfortunately, the lighthearted sound of piano keys did little to calm Akko's nerves. She searched through the crowd for a familiar face, her gaze finally finding her friend, Sucy, lingering menacingly by the punch bowl. Quickly sidling up to her, Akko let out a sigh.

"Sucy," Akko whispered to her. "Have you noticed anything weird about this party so far?"

"Aside from the way you're acting?" Sucy said, not looking up from the punch, her eyelids lowered in disinterest. "Nope."

"Sucy!" Akko hush-yelled. "I'm serious! Diana's been staring daggers at me all evening!"

"Maybe she's plotting your murder," Sucy said, flashing her pointed teeth to her as she grinned darkly.

Huffing, Akko opened her mouth to retort but was instantly caught off guard when she heard a familiar voice from behind her. Swiveling in place, she was met face to face with the girl whose eyes had been boring into her soul for the last half-hour or so.

"Akko," Diana said, turning her stare away for a moment to clear her throat. "May I speak to you in private?"

Upon hearing Diana say her name, Akko's knees wanted to give in and the floor under her feet seemed less stable than she remembered, as if she could fall through at any second. Diana looked so scary when she was all stern and cryptic, but usually Akko's face didn't flush when she was afraid.

"Uh, sure," Akko managed to say. Out of the corner of her eye she could see Amanda raising her eyebrows with intrigue, her smile wide and knowing. It wasn't the most comforting face to see right then, and Sucy's sudden disappearance didn't help either.

Diana pivoted around (way too gracefully) and began walking. After a moment of brain lag, Akko managed to get her legs working again and follow suit.

They exited out of the doors into the courtyard. The icy, winter air hit them both immediately, causing Akko to fold her arms with a shiver, her teeth chattering and her nose growing numb. Diana, on the other hand, looked completely unbothered by the stark temperature change.

"I swear if something happened, it had nothing to do with me!" Akko began, the cold air making her breath visible against the night sky. "I was good today!"

Not responding to the defenses, Diana headed over toward the Statue of Jessica in the center of the courtyard, her shoes making delicate footprints in the thin layer of snow. Rubbing at her nose, Akko reluctantly followed suit. Diana turned the corner and disappeared behind the statue. Cocking her head in confusion, Akko slowly and reluctantly followed her.

As soon as she turned around, Akko realized how close she was to Diana now, her eyes affixed to her face once more, with even heavier intensity. Gulping, Akko's hands began to tremble and heart wanted to jump out of her chest.

"Akko," Diana said. "Please understand that I have no choice but to do this. Otherwise I will not be able to focus completely in my studies." Diana nodded her head, moving even closer. "I apologize in advance."

 _Oh my god, was Sucy right?_ Akko thought. Was Diana going to _kill_ her? Had she really pushed her friend that far with her antics? For some reason, Akko wasn't as surprised as she expected herself to be.

Akko opened her mouth to speak, but immediately realized the purpose of Diana's discretion. For she quickly took Akko's chin in her fingers and tilted it up for her their lips to meet. Diana leaned into the kiss and Akko's brain wanted to explode right then, a warmth spreading across her chest and the feeling of Diana's lips filling her thoughts.

When they finally broke away, Akko took a moment to take in the light blush that graced Diana's face and how shiny and blue her eyes looked against the backdrop of snow. She sighed.

Diana took a step back, seeming unsure of herself for a minute, her intense stare replaced with a softer one. She broke away and flipped her hair.

"Right then," Diana began walking back. "Shall we return to the party?"

Akko vaguely remembered nodding, following, and returning to the party. However, the rest of the night had been a blur. The last thing that she had remembered clearly was the warmth of Diana's breath and the way the moonlight caught in her eyes.


	7. Cookies

Akko clasped her hands together, pleading with the kitchen faeries.

"Please, please, _please_ , let me use the kitchen! Just for twenty minutes!"

There was some initial reluctance; after all, Akko was always a primary suspect when certain pastries went missing overnight. But, she had been good to the faeries when they needed someone to listen to them, and had spoken on their behalf during their strike. That was enough to allow her to do, well, whatever it is she desperately wanted to do.

And what Akko wanted to do was… bake cookies!

Diana had passed out pastries a few days ago in cute little bags. Although, Akko noticed, that her pastry bag was bigger _and_ had more ribbons. This totally meant that Diana thought about _her_ more! Oh, how Akko's heart had soared! She couldn't let this tiny gesture go unappreciated, so she decided to bake cookies to give her in return.

However, Akko didn't know much about baking cookies. She knew a lot about eating cookies, but baking? Nada!

Fortunately, the kitchen faeries told her what she would need and how to put everything together, and under their careful eyes, Akko managed to stir all the ingredients into the bowl without any mishaps. After scooping out balls of dough and lining them evenly on the tray, she carefully placed it into the oven, wiping her hands together in satisfaction.

"Heh, maybe I'm not so bad at this after all! Maybe I can get as good at baking as Diana!" Akko said, leaning back on the counter. "And then, maybe, just maybe we could bake _together!_ "

Instead of the school kitchen, Akko imagined the spoken scenario in some quaint house in the countryside, Diana and her, a few years older, baking loaves of bread and various cakes for no other reason but for recreation. Diana's hair would be tied back into that cute ponytail she always wore during gym class and she would have flour stains all over her apron and whenever Akko would get frosting on her face, she would giggle in that quiet way she did and gently wipe at it with her thumb, muttering something about how silly she was. Then they'd kiss in front of the kitchen window and the passing school children would point at them and _ooh_ and _ahh_ and Diana would blush a bit before asking them if they would like some bread.

From the blank looks of the faeries around her, Akko realized she had spoken that last statement aloud and that her face had gone bright red. Also, something smelled like it was burning.

"Uh oh…" Akko hurried to the oven, shoving on the oven mitt and pulling the tray out.

The cookies on the ends of the tray had been singed a bit, but there was still a good portion that had remained perfectly baked. Akko sighed in relief.

* * *

"Diana!"

Diana stopped in the hallway upon hearing her name, turning around and seeing Akko running excitedly toward her, almost tripping over her own feet as she did so. In her hand, she could see something neatly wrapped up.

"Akko, be careful!" Diana said in her mildly scolding tone as Akko finally caught up to her.

"Sorry, sorry," Akko said with her usual guilty smile. "I just wanted to give you something, since it's the holidays and all!" She held out a box that was wrapped in a blue and gold furoshiki. "I baked you cookies!"

Diana was taken aback for a second, her eyes darting from Akko to the gift, unsure of how to respond. Finally, after a second of what looked like an internal debate, Diana took the neatly tied gift in her hands, examining it further, her focus growing soft.

"Akko… you didn't have to-"

Akko simply shook her head and grinned brightly.

"I was really impressed by the stuff you baked for us all, and I wanted to give it a try!" Akko looked down at her hands and fiddled with her fingers, her eyes looking off to the side. "And, uh, maybe we could try baking together sometime… I know I have a lot to learn and all-"

Diana placed a hand on Akko's shoulder, which caused her to go quiet. She looked up at Diana who, to her surprise, was smiling at in a way that made her feel all warm inside.

"I like that idea, Akko," Diana patted her shoulder once more. "Thank you, this gift is beautiful."

Diana turned around, holding the meticulously wrapped box to her chest, baby pink spreading up to her ears.


	8. Family

The holidays were a difficult time for Diana, she grew quieter and withdrew into herself even more than she did already. Hannah and Barbara were close enough to know why, but smart enough to keep their discretion when anyone else tried to pry about Diana's icy mood.

Family.

It wasn't the easiest word to process for Diana. After all, she and the word had been on shaky terms for a while now. With Yule coming soon and students receiving gifts from home, it began to pop up frequently in conversations around school.

While there was immense pride that Diana had around her name and legacy, the details of it made her sorer than she cared to admit to anyone. And if it had been up to her, she would've made sure to keep the Cavendish name as spotless as possible to anyone who knew it. But, much to her own disbelief, she couldn't control everything.

Akko's determination had been strong enough to break right through those barriers she built up of politely vague affirmations and unwavering silence. Had there been an ulterior motive? Not in the slightest. The fact that Akko cared so passionately, so relentlessly, despite not even knowing her outside of her name and reputation, it moved something inside her, akin to ancient stonework statues come to life.

After that, everything had fallen in line. Within a few months, her and Akko had begun a relationship. And while the students and professors at Luna Nova had been more than supportive (some a bit too enthusiastic about the entire thing), Diana had yet to break the news to the remaining family she had left. Finally after a few days of mulling over what she would write, all of the New Nine pitching in a few ideas, she had written a letter and sent it and did her best to forget about the entire thing for a week.

Today, a letter for Aunt Daryl had arrived. Clutching the envelope a little too tightly in her hands, she knew she didn't have the fortitude to read it alone, not knowing what the response would be. She needed Akko.

Closing her eyes, Diana rapped her knuckles against the Red Team's door.

"Akko."

There was silence, than a strange shuffling from behind the wood. Diana raised a brow.

"Akko? Are you-"

"Diana!"

The door swung open and Diana was greeted with an Akko covered messily in loose ribbons that were a variety of assorted colors, smiling like she'd just been caught. Peeking just slightly behind Akko, Diana could see rolls of wrapping paper that had been kicked under the bed. Without any further thought, Akko grabbed her and pulled her into a tight hug, pulling her face away just enough to quickly kiss her, giggling a bit as she did so. Diana couldn't help but smile, her girlfriend was always so cute about affection. But, the moment dissipated quickly as Diana silently held up the letter for Akko to see, who in response, nodded seriously and let Diana inside.

"Are you sure you want me here?" Akko asked as Diana sat herself on her bottom bunk, eyes glued to the paper.

"Undoubtedly sure," Diana tore open the envelope and pulled out the neatly folded paper with meticulous caution.

Akko carefully sat beside her, hooking her arm around Diana's and linking their fingers together. She rested her head on her shoulder as she looked over at what she assumed to be Aunt Daryl's pretentious, loopy, cursive penmanship. A moment of silence passed as they read, tensely holding onto one another for nonverbal support.

Finally, Diana folded up the letter and sighed.

"Well, I hadn't expected her to be thrilled, of course," Diana began. "But it's comforting to know she respects my decision and that you're welcome to visit estate again."

Akko jumped up and cheered.

"Reluctant approval! Yay!"

Diana shook her head and smiled; perhaps the holidays wouldn't be so bad this year after all.

And as Akko excitedly ran back over to plant another kiss to her lips, Diana wondered if she would soon learn a new way to define the word family.


	9. Secret Santa

Akko fished her hand around in the sea of paper scraps, shutting her eyes tightly. The other eight girls in the Red Team's room watched her with collective anticipation.

"C'mon Akko, we don't have all day," she heard Amanda groan.

Akko's fingers finally latched on to a piece of paper and swiftly pulled it out, clutching it tightly to her chest without looking at it.

"About time," Sucy said, getting up from her seat. Akko stuck her tongue out at her.

* * *

Stepping back from the hat held out in Lotte's hands, she watched as the other girls got up one at a time to pull names out of it. They all managed to remain cryptic about who they got: Costanze looked at her paper sternly with a small nod, Lotte smiled to herself, Diana's face didn't move at all.

On the other hand, Amanda rolled her eyes reading hers and Hannah let out a subtly disappointed sigh (then again, getting anyone besides Barbara or Diana would've disappointed her anyway).

"Akko," Lotte tapped her shoulder. "You still haven't looked at yours yet."

Akko hesitated. She didn't want to admit that the reason she refrained from reading was fear that she would over-react. Especially if she ended up with _someone's_ name in particular. When it came to concealing her emotions, Akko could not have been worse at it.

"Uh, yeah, I'm waiting until later," Akko said, her eyes darting around as all the attention seemed to move onto her. "I don't want to accidentally spoil it or anything!"

Amanda smirked at her before shrugging nonchalantly. "Suit yourself."

"Alright then, we all have our recipients," Diana stated. "Remember the rules: no revealing to _anybody_ , even if they aren't participating, and nothing overly-expensive."

"Funny coming from her," Amanda muttered to Akko, who couldn't help but snicker.

Diana paused to stare at them both for a moment before continuing.

"Also do try to put _effort_ into your gift, don't wait until the last minute," Diana said, still glaring at them. Finally breaking the gaze, she continued. "We'll all meet up again in a week to exchange gifts and reveal."

The group clapped and the blue and green teams slowly trickled out of the room, off to mull over what gifts they could give. Diana lingered behind for a moment, her eyes still on Akko.

Akko looked around and shifted awkwardly on her feet. Diana was already intimidating enough, but when she said nothing, it made her even scarier. Strangely, it seemed as if Diana wanted to say something before she left, before silently stopping herself and sighing instead.

"Best of luck to you all," Diana tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and opened the door. Her eyes found Akko one last time before she left.

Akko clutched the paper tighter in her hand. She wondered what kind of gift Diana would like the most. Not that it mattered! There was no way she had gotten Diana. Judging by everyone's reaction, she wouldn't have been surprised if _Amanda_ of all people got Diana's paper.

 _Amanda wouldn't even know what to get Diana! She would probably get her some joke gift or something._ Akko thought, a bit self-importantly.

"Akko, just go outside and look at the paper already," Sucy said. "You're acting all tense."

"Fine," Akko grumbled, shuffling out the front door.

As soon as the door closed behind her, Akko leaned against the wall, her fingers shaking as she slowly unfolded the now-crinkled paper in her hands. She took a breath, collecting herself before allowing herself to look at the name.

The delicate, dignified cursive fell under her gaze and a rush of excitement rose up through her from the bottom of her feet.

 _Diana._

Akko couldn't hold it in, the buzzing in her stomach was too overwhelming, along with the light feeling in her chest. She pumped a celebratory fist in the air.

"Yay!"

Lotte and Sucy heard the muffled exclamation from behind the door and grinned to one another.

"I wonder who she got?" Sucy said sarcastically.

* * *

Diana entered her room before Hannah and Barbara made it back, hurriedly moving around the bookcase and leaning against the shelves.

Reopening the folded paper, she looked at the name once more, written in big, bold letters.

 _AKKO._

Diana couldn't help but allow herself to sigh and smile, wondering what kind of gift would make Akko grin the widest.


	10. Traditions

As their years together progressed, Akko and Diana created their own traditions.

Firstly, (and while it never started out as a tradition) on the night before Yule, they would drive around their neighborhood and look at all the houses decorated in lights, twinkling of red, green, and gold. When they got to a really lit up house, Diana would pull over and they would stop and sit and stare at the lights, commenting and pointing out all the interesting details they noticed. Cheesy holiday music would be playing low on the car radio and the heater would be turned up as high as possible.

Another tradition was passing out candy canes to their neighbors. While it wasn't in Diana's nature to converse and give things to strangers, Akko's outgoing attitude and general extroversion slowly rubbed off on her. She began to warm up to the activity and, eventually, enjoy it as much as Akko did. In the following years, Akko would take things a step further and insist they wear matching "Naughty" and "Nice" sweaters as they did so. Deciding who wore what was easy. The neighbors always found their gimmick humorous and some would even invite them inside for tea.

Their annual holiday party was known for being a hit, and most of the time, all their old friends from Luna Nova would visit. Diana always baked the best desserts and Akko always found the most thoughtful gifts for her friends. The usual holiday comedy movies would be playing absently on the television as the group exchanged presents with one another by the large, crackling fireplace. They would laugh and chatter into the late hours of the night, not missing a second to catch up on how their lives were going.

Diana would go out one morning and buy just about hundreds of toys. She and Akko would spend the rest of the afternoon wrapping them in all sorts of colorful papers before driving out into town to the local children's hospital. It made Diana's heart swell to see the children there crack a smile when they were suddenly surprised with bright, shiny new presents. They would stick around to entertain and read stories to the really young kids, and the nurses would thank them with a handmade gift basket. Diana always seemed to relax a bit more the rest of the month, her own inner tension satiated.

Lastly, Diana and Akko always made sure to visit their professors at Luna Nova, making sure to spend extra time with their favorites. Chariot and Croix had long since mended their wounds, and seeing them so happy together again would reassure Diana and Akko that their relationship, too, would forever be solid. They would wander the halls of campus, reminiscing in the areas where their first memories of one another formed: first meetings, first arguments, first kisses. They always held hands as they walked together, just as they did all those years ago.

This year was a little different. While they stood at the balcony of the flight tower, the place where Akko had first tried to stop Diana from leaving and, eventually, the place where they first confessed their feelings to one another, Akko took Diana's hands in her own and asked her to marry her.

Diana, of course, said yes.


	11. Santa

"Are you serious?"

Amanda's eyes grew wide and she stopped in her tracks. Sucy slowly turned to Akko with a face of pure bewilderment.

"Can you… please repeat that, Akko?" Sucy asked, holding back the urge to laugh.

Akko scrunched up her face, which was now turning red with annoyance. They were on their way to flying practice, talking about how excited they were about gifts and Akko had accidentally let something slip.

"I said," she huffed, "that I can't wait to see what Santa brings me."

A wave of silence passed through the group before they all broke out in laughter, Amanda's crescendo of a howl making Akko narrow her eyes.

"I don't get what's so funny!"

"Akko," Sucy started, her eyes finding Lotte's for silent approval. "You know Santa isn't real, right?"

Akko felt her heart drop to the bottom of her stomach, her jaw going slack at the words. That didn't make any sense. He parents had told her Santa gave everyone presents, and besides, Santa was everywhere this time of year: movies, songs, decorations. So it made no sense for him to _not_ be real! Shaking her head, she smiled.

"Ha, funny, Sucy," Akko placed her hands on her hips. "You guys are just trying to trick me again. Nice try."

The girls silently shrugged to one another as they went on their way, not wanting to further question Akko's unwillingness to budge on her belief in Santa.

It wasn't until later that evening, when the groups sat together for dinner, that Amanda brought the subject up again, despite everyone's silent and exasperated stares.

"So, let me get this right," Amanda grinned. "You think it's totally legit that some fat guy flies onto your roof on a floating sled, sneaks into your house, eats your food, leaves you presents, and then sneaks back out. All while you're sound asleep."

"We attend a private school to study _magic_ , O'Neill, so I don't think you are in the position to pass judgement," a familiar voice entered the conversation.

Akko turned her head to see Diana towering over the group, her arms tightly folded. Her heart sped up at that realization. She hadn't even heard Diana come over.

"Well- yeah, but," Amanda sputtered, not expecting such a well-worded retort. "That kind of stuff is just silly to believe."

"Flying a broom into space fueled by the entire world's hope is pretty unbelievable too."

"Okay, okay, yeesh," Amanda sighed, defeated. "If Akko wants to believe in Santa, then what do I care!"

Akko smiled at Diana, who nodded to her in return.

"Thanks Diana!" Akko began, before a strange thought popped into her head. "Wait… does that mean you think Santa is real too?" Her eyes grew wide and she leaned over in her chair, her pupils sparkling with excitement.

Diana stepped back, an odd twitch in her upper lip.

"I didn't say that," Diana said, flipping her hair and darting her eyes away.

"Diana, you believe in Santa!"

"I will not waste my time confirming or denying such a childish thing," Diana turned on her heels and began to leave, Akko quickly got up and followed her out of the cafeteria, much to the awe of everyone else.

"But, _Diana!_ " Akko's voice rang out as they disappeared into the sea of students.


	12. Gifts

Diana held the neatly wrapped green package out in front of her, her eyes not daring to part from the floor. The gift was a dark, forest green, tied with a golden ribbon. Akko sat on the couch in front of her, her gaze glued to the box, mouth agape.

"For me?" Akko's eyes sparkled.

Diana nodded, taking a breath. Akko gingerly took the present in her hands, practicing a level of care Diana was unfamiliar with. She managed to refocus her gaze forward again to Akko's anticipatory smile. Her cheeks felt warm.

"It's nothing much, really, I just figured you might…" Diana's voice tapered off beneath the frantic sound of Akko tearing away the wrapping paper.

Diana held her breath again, a pang of anxiety hitting her stomach at the thought of Akko not liking the gift for some reason or another. Even though she figured her friend would enjoy any sort of gift from her friends, Diana couldn't shake that ingrained nervousness that came with being a perfectionist. All she could do was watch as Akko peeled away at the paper and opened the box.

Akko gasped.

"Diana…" Akko held up the item. It was a deep red scarf and, in golden letters, read: _A believing heart is my magic!_ It was thick and made of yarn; it looked to be hand-knitted. "Did you… make this?"

Once again, Diana could only nod, her fingers fidgeting, rubbing together as she kept her hands at her sides.

"The stitchwork is a bit messy, I know," Diana began. "Anna was kind enough to teach me how to crochet on such little notice."

"Diana…" Akko repeated her name, staring at the scarf outstretched in her hands. She looked up at her, her eyes wide and full of light. "I love this."

"I'm glad-"

" _Eee!_ Thank you, Diana! I love it, I love it so much!" Akko squealed, wrapping the scarf around her neck before jumping up from the sofa to pull Diana into a tight hug, which made her go stiff with surprise. "I'm going to wear this around school all the time! I don't care what Professor Finnelan says about dress-code! It's just too soft and warm and comfy not to wear every day! _Diana!_ You're _wonderful!_ " She giggled into her shoulder.

A small smile crept over Diana's face from seeing how delighted Akko was. Breaking apart, Akko ran over to the couch and picked up the haphazardly wrapped box that had been sat next to her. She presented the gift with flair, as if to make up for its lack of presentation on its own. Diana pressed her fingers to her lips to hold back her urge to giggle.

"It's okay! I'm not used to wrapping stuff on my own!" Akko rubbed her neck sheepishly. "Usually my parents help me with that!"

"I don't mind," Diana simply said, taking the box in her hands and turning it over for a moment.

"Well? Are ya gonna open it or just judge it?" Akko teased, pouting her lip.

"Right," Diana said, coming to her senses. She sat on the sofa and began to carefully pull apart the paper. Akko sat down and watched, unconsciously biting her lip.

Diana opened the box and was greeted with another pair of eyes. Her mouth opened and a quiet gasp escaped her throat. A stuffed unicorn plush sat in the box and stared up at her, almost expectantly.

"I know it's not hand-made or anything, but I know how much you really love unicorns and stuff and so, I…" Akko steepled her fingers together, turning brighter and brighter red. "Yeah…"

Diana couldn't hold back her wide smile, as if a smaller, more childish part of her had awoken from inside. Without thinking about it, she pulled out the stuffed animal and hugged it tightly to her chest, burying her face into the soft hairs of the unicorn's mane. Closing her eyes for a moment she smiled again to herself until her cheeks began to hurt.

She looked up and noticed Akko staring at her curiously and slightly bemused. Diana's face went scarlet and she cleared her throat.

"Thank you, Akko. I really like this… a lot," she held the plush even closer. "It's cute…"

Akko pushed her hands to her cheeks and let out another excited squeal.

" _Really?_ You like it?" Akko jumped up again. " _Yay!_ "

"Again, thank you," Diana stood up, still hugging the unicorn to her chest. "Although I have one last gift for you."

"Heheh, as do I!" Akko ginned, raising her eyebrows. "Let's reveal at the same time!"

Diana giggled softly.

"If you insist…"

They continued to laugh, even as they both leaned in and kissed, unable to stop smiling. Outside the window, snow began to fall, recoloring the campus into something bright and fresh and new.

* * *

 **A/N: I just wanted to say, this was a really fun challenge to do! It gave me a good excuse to write every day, and of course, reading everyone's feedback was truly delightful as well. I hope you all have a lovely holiday and enjoy the rest of the year!**


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